Muscle car collector ‘Craven' horsepower

Thursday

Jan 24, 2013 at 7:41 PM

Bob Craven's first car was a 1954 Ford, and his sentimental favorite was a 1949 Ford flathead with "three (speeds) on the tree."

By Andrew FillmoreCorrespondent

Barbara Craven knew what she was getting into when she married her husband, Bob, almost a half century ago."In 1965, when Bob and I were engaged, he gave me a Christmas present," Barbara Craven said. "It was a tachometer and engine gauge set."If she didn't know it before, Barbara knew it at that moment: Bob had more than a passing interest in cars. Cars were part of his being."It's been love me, love my cars with Bob," Barbara Craven said with a smile."Mopar is my life," Bob Craven admitted.A glance around the Cravens' property near Leeward Air Ranch in southeast Ocala leaves no doubt. There is a sprawling workshop on site where Bob fusses with classic muscle cars, some of which used to intimidate opponents and burn up tracks in his native Long Island.Bob's first car was a 1954 Ford, and his sentimental favorite was a 1949 Ford flathead with "three (speeds) on the tree."But Mopar cars — slang for the Chrysler brand of products — are his passion."I worked for 39 years at my stepfather's Chrysler Plymouth dealership, Brodlieb Motors, in Woodmere, N.Y.," Bob Craven said. "Then for 12 years I operated an independent repair shop, specializing in Plymouth and Mopar muscle cars."I would tweak the advance on the distributors and re-jet the carbs. I've resurrected many Mopars in restorations also," he said.The couple relocated in 2007 to the southeast Ocala area, where the large detached workshop and garage are outfitted with a full-sized vehicle lift, Sun electronic diagnosis machine and glass cases filled with memorabilia of Bob Craven's racing and restoration days.Bob Craven's racing scrapbook includes a picture of him with Don Garlits, shots of friends and fellow drag racers like Herb McCandless, and a group of distinctive 1970 Plymouth Super Birds taken at a Long Island track where Bob Craven raced.High up on one wall is a life-sized cutout of NASCAR driver Ricky Craven, Bob Craven's cousin.The centerpieces of the garage are three muscle cars from an era when horsepower was king.There is an all-original super stock 1964 black Barracuda that Bob has owned since it was new; a restored 1970 lime-green Challenger with a 440-cubic-inch engine and a "six pack" or three two barrel carbs producing about 490 horses; and a like-new orange 1972 Road Runner with white highlights powered by a 400-cubic-inch engine rated at 320 horsepower.Cars like the mid-1960s to early 1970s Mopars were high-horsepower machines that set new standards for performance "right off the showroom floor" and with a little modification could really shine at the drag strip.So Mopar provided the performance, and Craven did the tweaking.Craven ticks off the years, makes, models and engine sizes of the early muscle cars as easily as he recalls what he ate for breakfast."In 1961 and 1962 Chevy had the performance engines, and then in 1962 Plymouth came out with the 413 Max Wedge engine and things changed. In 1963, Plymouth introduced the 426 Max Wedge and Chevy came out with the 427 engine," Bob Craven said.His allegiance to Mopar is absolute."Mopar guys relate to their cars. Mustang guys want to make noise and go fast, Mopar guys don't show off — they just go fast," Bob joked.Bob Craven once owned and drag raced a 1963 Plymouth named "Gunsmoke." It had a 420-cubic-inch engine fueled by two four-barrel carbs which would cover the quarter mile in about 11 seconds."I call my 1964 Barracuda ‘Baby,' " Bob said. "We have had the car since 1968 and made modifications which stepped the car up in class at the drags when we raced."In 2010, Mopar Collector's Guide Magazine named the Barracuda to a national Top 10 list of collector's vintage Mopar cars.Bob Craven said the Barracuda, with a documented track class record quarter-mile time of 14.63 in 1972, was on display at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing."Our 'Cuda was in a display highlighting Super Stock cars from 1995 to 2001 at the museum," he said.Bob said the cars in his garage also are part of his family's history."We've had lunch, dinner and gone to the drive-in with the kids in these cars; good memories," Bob Craven said.And he's still making memories with his cars, Barbara said."He plays with those cars day and night," she explained.